See Government Safe Despite Objections to Policy on Jarring Mission

May 20, 1968

JERUSALEM (May. 19)

Prime Minister Eshkol’s broadly based coalition Government, created during the war crisis last May, is not likely to fall despite objections in certain political factions to the Government’s declared policies toward United Nations Ambassador Gunnar Jarring’s peace mission and the Nov. 22, 1967 Security Council resolution, informed political observers said here tonight. The principal objections stem from the Gahal, the Herut-Liberal Party alignment; which is part of the Government, Although several other Cabinet members, notably Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and Minister of Transport Moshe Carmel have criticized Government policies at internal party meetings, they are expected to support the Government, according to informed observers.

Rumblings of dissent greeted Foreign Minister Abba Eban when he returned from his Scandinavian tour last night and were responsible, at least in part, for postponement of today’s Cabinet meeting at which Mr. Eban was to report. The official announcement said the meeting was postponed because Mr. Eshkol is confined to bed with a cold. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned that Eshkol and Eban have been in constant consultation with each other and with other Labor Party ministers since the Foreign Minister returned.

It is expected that a large majority of the Cabinet will approve the political stand and tactical moves made by Israel so far. The Cabinet is expected to reiterate tomorrow that Israel will adhere to the cease-fire lines until they are replaced by boundaries agreed to by both sides under the terms of a Just and lasting peace. According to well-informed sources, there has been no deviation from the declarations by Mr. Eban and by Ambassador Yosef Tekoah, permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations, that Israel accepts the Nov. 22 Security Council resolution as a basis for peace.

Foreign Minister Eban told reporters, on his return from Denmark, that “nothing has been said or arranged with Ambassador Jarring except that we have agreed to transfer contact to New York.” Instead of flying from one capital to another and then to Cyprus, ‘Dr. Jarring asked that we empower our UN Ambassador to maintain contact with him in New York so that he can concentrate his efforts,” Mr. Eban said. The Foreign Minister was met at the airport by demonstrators representing the so-called movement for a “greater Israel.” Some carried placards likening him to Neville Chamberlain and demanding that he resign.

Sources close to Eban said he believes the campaign against Israel’s policies, which have been stated publicly on several occasions, is motivated by internal political considerations and is totally unwarranted.